Chapter 1705 - 1611: Two Choices

Chapter 1705: Chapter 1611: Two Choices

A cold wind mixed with the smell of grass blew past. Charles cautiously opened his eyes and saw the whip on the ground first, then noticed his brother walking over with a package taken from his Arab warhorse.

Joseph glanced at the tense and stiff Charles and sighed. After all, he was still just a 17-year-old boy. When he was his age, he was equally "naïve and reckless."

"Take off your clothes." Joseph’s voice softened a bit.

"Huh?"

"It’s just the two of us around here." Joseph said as he opened a small leather case and took out a glass bottle filled with transparent liquid. "I’ll help you treat the wound."

Tears welled up uncontrollably in Charles’ eyes again. His hands trembled as he unfastened his trousers, but he gasped with pain.

Joseph helped him cut the pant legs with a small knife and poured the liquid from the bottle onto the wound.

It was distilled water, flowing over the skin with blood, trickling onto the grass.

Charles continued to whimper, "I was wrong, brother. I really..."

Joseph looked up at him, picked up another smaller glass bottle, and said, "Brace yourself, it will sting a bit."

"Oh... Ah—"

As soon as the liquid from the bottle touched the wound, Charles let out a miserable scream as if he had been burned by a hot iron.

This time it was medical alcohol.

Currently, the two most effective disinfectants in France are phenol and medical alcohol.

The former doesn’t sting much when cleaning wounds, but Joseph knew phenol is somewhat toxic, so he chose alcohol.

He carefully wiped the debris from the wound with a cotton swab and then took out St. John’s Wort Oil Ointment from the leather case, applying it to Charles’ wound. "I hope this incident makes you grow up."

When he began to wrap the wound with a flax bandage, Charles finally started to recover slightly from the severe pain but suddenly whispered, "Brother, are those people, those poor Romans, doomed to live in purgatory?"

Joseph exhaled, without raising his head, said, "You’re mistaken. Whether in Rome or anywhere else, people have the right to pursue freedom and equality and should bravely resist. Likewise, you can certainly offer them help."

He paused, tying the bandage. "But this doesn’t mean you should rush to Rome and personally command them in battle."

"But what else can I do? This is the only way..."

"Is it?" Joseph stood up, handing him a set of clean clothes, "Change into this.

"I intended to tell you later, but since you brought it up, let’s continue. Do you know what my original plan was?"

Charles shook his head.

Joseph said slowly, "Archbishop Talleyrand is gathering various Northern Italian nations, intervening in Rome’s unrest under the name of the Mediterranean Security Organization, by joint military engagement from multiple countries."

Charles’s eyes widened: "I thought you were going to help them?"

"Of course." Joseph continued, "The Security Organization’s troops will engage in a seemingly serious fight with the Rebel Army. With our officers’ arrangement, the battle will soon reach a stalemate. During this time, our Security Bureau will attempt to contact the Rebel Army, getting them to cooperate.

"Then, I will ’suggest’ the Holy See leave Rome for safety reasons. The destination will likely be Avignon."

Charles’s eyes widened further: "But, but..."

Joseph nodded: "Once the Holy See leaves, the Rebel Army will soon announce disbandment. The Security Organization will also simultaneously retreat.

"Of course, not truly disbanding. No one will seriously pursue it.

"Without the Holy See, Rome can immediately begin organizing Congress, followed by elections. Previously ’missing’ Rebel Army leaders will become Members of Parliament with citizen support."

"Wait, wait a moment." Charles felt his brain was about to be overwhelmed, "Will other Italian countries agree? I mean, suddenly withdrawing troops if the Holy See ’flees’."

"They will gladly welcome such a situation," Joseph said. "Northern Italy nations have long been fed up with the Holy See’s occasional interference in their internal religious affairs. Oh, the Church also sells indulgences, True Love Charm, and similar items, with over half the revenue flowing back to the Pope.

Yes, ten years ago, the Vatican began learning from the French Church, issuing Longevity Prayer Coupon, True Love Charm, and other ’advanced products,’ albeit market-restricted to those small countries.

Joseph continued, "After the Holy See leaves Rome, various Italian countries will receive promises from our nation, allowing them greater autonomy in religious affairs.

"Moreover, at the Mediterranean Security Organization’s founding, various Northern Italian countries received much land from the Pope State. They’ve constantly worried the Holy See would one day reclaim these territories.

"But a Rome Congress born under their ’assistance’ will fully relinquish these places.

"Moreover, the Iberian-Apennine Common Market embraces another member state, expanding their market, hence all are pleasures they desire."

Charles fell silent.

Compared to his reckless actions, this was indeed the best plan for helping Romans.

He grew up exposed to international politics, naturally knowing a Rebel Army driving away the Pope through violence would be isolated by almost every nation.

But if organizing a Congress and establishing a country with Security Organization’s help—even publicly declaring their welcome to the Holy See returning to Rome from war refuge—then diplomatically, they’d face no hurdles.

Hmm, Austria might have opinions, but the Rome Congress needn’t concern themselves.

"I..." Charles suddenly exclaimed, "I’m really an idiot!"

Joseph waited for him to calm down a bit, then said, "Luckily the Pope’s still set to seek asylum in France, preventing the worst outcome.

"As for you, my dear brother, I give you two choices.

"One: Go to Meudon Castle, devote yourself to academics until you achieve a doctorate and marry. Then you may return to the Palace of Versailles monthly. During this period, father, mother, and I will visit you when we miss you."

Charles’s face turned pale. He knew his academic level well; achieving a doctorate would take no less than ten years, perhaps eight.

So he hurriedly asked, "And the second option?"

Joseph said, "Go to Vivarai, serving as a clerk to the mayor as a commoner, keeping your identity secret. Don’t use current savings, but only rely on monthly salary for living. Plus, you cannot leave Vivarai.

"The Security Bureau will send someone to accompany you, posing as your distant relative. He will only assist when you face life-threatening circumstances. You must cover his board and lodging expenses.

"Until the mayor decides you’re an excellent official, I will consider letting you undertake other matters."

Vivarai is a poverty-stricken area in Southeast France, yet with a population of 200,000, making governance challenges immense.